NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Matt Hasselbeck doesn't have any structural damage to his right forearm and elbow. Whether or not he can play this weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be determined by how comfortable the Titans' starting quarterback is throwing the ball.
Titans coach Mike Munchak said Monday's tests were negative and Hasselbeck's injury is more of a muscle strain in the forearm. Hasselbeck was hurt during the previous day's 23-17 loss at Atlanta when he hit his arm on a defender's helmet. Hasselbeck is sore, and Munchak said the veteran will be day to day for practice and likely will sit out at least Wednesday.
Whether or not rookie Jake Locker will make his first career start for Tennessee (5-5) remains to be seen.
"He'll be smart about it to tell us where he's at," Munchak said of Hasselbeck. "It's different when you're throwing the football. He'll know pretty good how that arm feels and if he can make all the throws or not. If it gets to that, I'm sure the right decision will be made by us and Matt."
Hasselbeck was hurt during the third quarter and was 13-of-25 passing for 124 yards with one interception. He also was Tennessee's leading rusher with a scramble for 17 yards.
But Locker, the eighth overall pick out of Washington, has been receiving some extra work the past three weeks on Wednesdays as the Titans tried to give Hasselbeck a little more time off to heal up later in the season.
Locker threw for 140 yards and two touchdowns with a 107.3 passer rating coming off the bench. He also ran once for 11 yards. Munchak said that extra work gives the Titans, and Hasselbeck, more time before they need to make a decision on who starts.
"Then by Friday obviously you want to have a better feel," Munchak said.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
